Ye olde notebook:
It was the morning of WVU's practice prior to the Texas Tech men's basketball game.
Mountaineer assistant coach Ron Everhart was working his way through his normal exercises. Back when the Fairmont native played hoops for Virginia Tech, he suffered a vertebrae/lumbar injury and has tried to stem more problems through work.
Those who know Everhart knows he's jacked. Yet age catches up to all of us. There's arthritis. There's destabilization. And there's this:
"I was doing my bicycle exercise," Everhart said, "when something popped. I just knew it was different."
The coach missed the Texas Tech trip to see a doctor. Then he missed Tuesday's big WVU victory over Baylor. The reasons?
He underwent surgeries, first a dual-level cervical disc fusion and then one to put a total of six screws in three vertebrae.
"Basically, a train wreck," Everhart joked on Thursday.
The assistant coach is home now. He got to his family house around 20 minutes before the Baylor game.
"I was walking around watching the game, yelling and screaming," Everhart said.
The assistant coach might make an appearance at the Coliseum when WVU next plays at home next Wednesday against Oklahoma. That's pushing it.
But Everhart has been propped up by much support - especially that of the Mountaineers.
"[WVU head coach Bob Huggins] has been phenomenal," Everhart said. "He's as good a human being as you can be. He's been patient. He's been good. He's been a good friend."
Also, there's been support from the team itself.
"I've gotten a text from every single kid," Everhart said. "We've got a good group of kids. Jevon Carter texted me before the Baylor game and said, 'We've got this one for you.' And the night before the Baylor curfew they all came to the hospital to see me.
"It's a hell of a group."
nnn
Marshall pulled off a neat play late in the first half of its victory over Charlotte.
Ryan Taylor threw the ball high to the wing for guard Jon Elmore, who tipped the ball into the air and toward the corner, where he grabbed it, converted a 3-pointer and collected a foul. The play turned into a four-point play and gave the Thundering Herd a 48-45 lead.
Afterward, Elmore credited his brother Ot, an MU reserve, and father Gay Jr., a former South Charleston and VMI standout.
Gay, however, texted to clarify.
"His grandfather [Gay Sr.]," said the Charleston lawyer, "pulled that play off against the national player of the year, Art Heyman of Duke, back in 1963 when he was a [WVU] Mountaineer. It was on national TV."
Nice.
nnn
And finally ...
On Saturday, Clemson will celebrate its national championship football team. The school will have an in-town parade and stadium celebration.
Among those set to speak are head coach Dabo Swinney, quarterback Deshaun Watson, linebacker Ben Boulware and other student-athletes. Executive Director of the College Football Playoff, Bill Hancock, and Clemson athletic director Dan Radakvovich will be there.
And there's one more speaker. It's Clemson president - and former WVU president - Jim Clements.
This week I had a chance to text congratulations to Clements.
"Thanks," he replied. "It was magical."
Indeed.
Contact Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvingle@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MitchVingle.